for people who care about the West

When is a barred owl a red herring?

The draft recovery plan
identifies competition from the barred owl, which is not native to
the Pacific Northwest, as the primary threat facing the northern
spotted owl. – U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, April 26,
2007.

That’s right, I’m a barred owl. My wife
tells me to keep quiet, keep my beak clean, try to blend in. But
the way I see it, I’ve got nothing to be ashamed of. I mean,
barred owls are practically poster birds for the American dream.
Decades ago, we left our ancestral home in the East and made our
way across the windswept prairies, facing exposure, starvation and
hostile natives. Maybe your ancestors did that, but could you?

Finally, we reached the forests of the Pacific Northwest.
They were a little dense, but basically they suited us just fine,
especially where the huge old trees had been thinned out. True,
there were spotted owls in residence, but they’re the kind
that my mother used to call “too good for this world.”
They always seem to like things just so -- just the right mix of
big trees, old mistletoe brooms for nests, truffles for the flying
squirrels to eat, peace and quiet, yada yada yada. All very nice,
I’m sure, but last time I looked, forests like that are found
mostly in picture books.

Anyway, we moved in and made
ourselves at home. In the process, I guess, some spotted owls were
pushed out, but hey, that’s nature’s way and all that.
The thing is, barred owls first showed up in Oregon in the
mid-1970s. The spotted owl’s troubles began long before that.
When the spotted owl was listed on the Endangered Species Act in
1990, the reason was clearly stated by federal biologists:
“Loss and adverse modification of suitable habitat as a
result of timber harvesting and exacerbated by catastrophic events
such as fire.” I’m not saying we’re making things
any better, but come on, don’t blame us!

Yet this
spring, the federal government came out with its 2007 Draft Spotted
Owl Recovery Plan. Imagine my surprise when practically the first
thing I read was: “Actions associated with addressing the
barred owl threat were the only ones given the highest priority in
this plan,” with a recommendation “that specific
actions to address the barred owl threat begin immediately and in a
coordinated manner across the range.” I didn’t like the
sound of that.

My worst fears were confirmed in Appendix
G, titled: “Barred owl removal strategy.” That’s
right, the plan proposes to shoot barred owls -- more than 500 in
all -- and then see if spotted owls move back in. What if the
experiment works and some spotted owls come back; does the
government think it can kill all of us barred owls? The plan is
silent on that point, but there are plenty of examples I could cite
of attempted biological controls that cost plenty and failed
miserably.

Sure, I’m biased. Would you want to be
“removed?” But take a look at the rest of the plan.
You’d think if such drastic measures get proposed such as
killing a protected native species (barred owls are protected by
the Migratory Bird Treaty Act), then surely other measures will be
put in place to protect the old-growth forests that spotted owls
like so much.

Well, no. The plan instead proposes to
reduce protections guaranteed in the Northwest Forest Plan. In
fact, one of the two options in the plan doesn’t designate
critical habitat boundaries at all, but instead “recognizes
the dynamic nature of forest ecosystems and provides flexibility to
land managers.” The government has also just released its
“Proposed revised designation of critical habitat for the
northern spotted owl,” and it removes more than 1.5 million
acres of formerly protected public lands from the critical habitat
list.

So here it is in a nutshell: The government’s
new review shows that spotted owls are in worse shape than anyone
thought. But even though dozens of studies show that habitat loss
is the key reason for the spotted owl’s decline, this new
plan cuts habitat protection. The scapegoat is the barred owl, and
many of us must die.

Yes, that’s right, which means
that something stinks, and it’s surely not me. Owls are
scrupulously clean creatures. Here’s a hint: This new plan
was the result of a legal settlement between the timber industry
and the Bush administration. You figure it out, since you’re
the ones with the big brains. Hooo-awww!

Pepper
Trail is a contributor to Writers on the Range, a service of High
Country News (hcn.org). He is a biologist and writer in Ashland,
Oregon.

Note: the opinions expressed in this column are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of High Country News, its board or staff. If you'd like to share an opinion piece of your own, please write Betsy Marston at [email protected].